


Shattered

by smaragdbird



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, M/M, Misunderstandings, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 16:48:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9334034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smaragdbird/pseuds/smaragdbird
Summary: "Is that all I am to you?" Kili asked, his voice broken. "Just someone to warm our bed?"





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this ](http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/9471.html?thread=20729087) prompt

When he received a message from Dol Guldur asking for a meeting Thranduil had little choice but to comply. Now that Sauron had openly declared himself it would be unwise to wake the rabbit dog lying on his doorstep. Erebor, Dale and Laketown hadn’t recovered from Smaug and the battle afterwards yet and would be little help if Sauron decided to stage a second invasion. For now Mirkwood was the vanguard and Thranduil would do his best to keep this evil away from his people for as long as he could.

They would meet at the southern border so Thranduil left Legolas in charge but took Kili with him. It was selfish to expose him to this danger but it calmed Thranduil’s nerves having Kili at his side. They had only married a year ago and like any elf Thranduil was unwilling to part with his spouse so soon.

The envoy from Dol Guldur could have been human but it looked more like a good approximation of what a human looked like than an actual man. Its sheer presence made Thranduil feel uncomfortable.

“Greetings, Thranduil, King of Mirkwood”, the envoy said, gesturing to a chair.

“And to you”, Thranduil replied. 

“I hope your journey here was not too perilous. Dark things live in Mirkwood these days.” Even its voice sounded like something monstrous was hiding behind it. 

“I know my realm well.”

“Of course you do”, the envoy tilted its head a little too far to be natural. Thranduil had seen all kinds of horrors when he had fought in Mordor but this thing still unsettled him. For a second he pressed his nails into his palm to regain control over his feelings. 

“You have married recently. I dwarf, I heard. How unusual for your kind. I’m sure you had a very compelling reason for your unconventional decision.” The envoy smiled in a way that sent shivers down Thranduil’s spine but he wasn’t going to give it the satisfaction.

Instead he crossed his legs and gave the envoy the most lecherous smirk he could muster. “If you think that’s unusual you have never had a dwarf in your bed. They’re the wildest and most ferocious thing you can have. Imagine all that focus on your body, intent to give you pleasure. There’s nothing like it.”

“And yet you married him.”

“A political move, nothing more. Bard’s eldest daughter was a little too docile and inexperienced for my taste and Erebor is a much more important ally.”

“You’re cold, Elvenking” the envoy laughed. “But you still don’t consider us as your neighbours.”

“I tend to behead trespassers on my land.”

“But the south of the forest hasn’t been your land for a long time, has it? Why not arrange yourself with the new balance of powers?”

“Do you have anything specific in mind?”

“Nothing you couldn’t part with. Safe passage through your realm for my subjects and the subjects of my allies, meat for my troops when I need it….” It trailed off with a polite smile.

“And what would you give me in exchange?”

“Protection of course. There are dark times ahead. You will need it.”

“I’m afraid we have been talking at cross purposes. I’m not looking for a military pact. I have no intention of going to war for one side or another. I only speak with dwarves and men because they can offer me something valuable. But your people have no trade.” Thranduil leaned forward. “The best I can offer you is neutrality. Keep your subjects away from my borders and I will not interfere with whatever you do outside of my realm.”

“You would not care if we swarm the towns of men? Dale? Esgaroth? If Erebor falls?” The expression on the envoy’s face was pure hunger. It waited for Thranduil to show his weakness.

Thranduil gave a derogatory snort. Leaning back in his chair, he said, “Erebor fell before. Why should I care?”

“I thought perhaps now that you have familial relations with them you’d change your mind.”

“I did not take you for a romantic”, Thranduil said airily. “If Erebor falls my husband’s political value may be gone but he will still warm my bed. And he is mortal. Sooner or later he will die and I am patient. I can wait.”

The envoy’s face twitched as if it wasn’t sure which expression was appropriate. It had not expected Thranduil’s reply that much was obvious. 

“You are playing a dangerous game Elvenking. You will have to pick a side sooner or later or either side will tear you apart.”

“Then ask me again later”, Thranduil replied, eager to leave the envoy’s presence. Sometimes the propaganda spread by the High Elves about the wood elves impatience and wildness was useful. “Do you accept my offer of neutrality?”

The envoy shook its head slowly, haltingly, like it wasn’t used to the motion. “You will submit, Thranduil, or you will burn.”

“Then I shall burn”, Thranduil said and stood up. “As you have come as an envoy I will let you leave but do it quickly or I will do with you what I do with everyone who trespasses through my land.”

“A shame, Elvenking. I thought you would be a little more understanding than the rest of your kin. But your people will make useful additions to our ranks and slaves anyway.” The envoy gave a mocking little bow and left. 

Thranduil almost stormed out of the tent. He felt dirty from just having been in the same room with this creature as if its evilness was a taint it had left on him.

/

When he reached his tent, he was relieved to find Kili waiting for him, alive and unharmed. The sooner they were back in the Mirkwood hills and safe within the caves the better. The bed was little more than a generous heap of blankets and skins but after that meeting Thranduil gratefully collapsed on them anyway.

“Will you not join me?” He asked when he realised that Kili was still standing close to the entrance.

“Is that all I am to you?” Kili asked, his voice broken. “Just someone to warm our bed?”

It took him a moment to realise what had to have happened. Silently Thranduil cursed thin canvas walls and guards with open ears and loose tongues.

“Never.” He reached out to touch him but Kili flinched. It hurt more than dragon fire ever had.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I don’t. I would have told that envoy anything, anything at all to keep you safe. As long as they believe you don’t matter to me, they won’t harm you. Or at least I hope so. You and Legolas are more precious to me than anything else.”

“I’m sorry, I thought…When I heard you said those things, I believed…”

Thranduil took Kili’s hands between his and kissed his fingertips. “If I managed to convince even you then hopefully I convinced the envoy as well.”

“I shouldn’t have doubted you.” 

Thranduil gave him a small smile to hide that he was thinking the same. Perhaps it had been too much to hope that ten years would eradicate the bad blood between him and Kili and his family.

“Let us forget about it. I certainly want to.” He tried to sound normal as if he was already moving past this, ignoring the look on Kili’s face.

“I’m sorry”, Kili wrapped his arms around him from behind and pressed his forehead against Thranduil’s back. “I’m sorry.”

“I know”, Thranduil said through the broken glass that seemed to line his insides. He could feel the wetness of Kili’s tears against his skin.

There was a river of pain and history between them, rapid and deceptive and the bridges they had tried to build so far had been too fragile to cross it. But Thranduil covered Kili’s hands with his and held on tight. Perhaps if they made through the war alive they would meet in the middle.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me [ here](http://smaragdbird.tumblr.com/) on tumblr


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